Colin Green Photography: Ripponden

Showing posts with label Ripponden. Show all posts

Friday, 12 June 2026

A Timeless Yorkshire Descent: Cobbles, History, and the Roar of the River Ryburn

The Pennines have a way of holding onto the past, clutching it tightly within the creases of their steep valleys. On a damp, atmospheric day like 15th February 2014, nowhere feels more grounded in history than the village of Ripponden. If you find yourself standing at the top of Priest Lane, looking down toward the ancient crossing of the River Ryburn, you aren't just looking at a road—you’re looking at a physical timeline of West Yorkshire life.

Black and white photography captures this mood perfectly. The absence of colour strips away the modern distractions, leaving behind the raw texture of gritstone, the slick reflection of rain on centuries-old setts, and the skeletal beauty of winter trees.

The Descent of Priest Lane

A high-angle, black and white photograph looking down a steep, wet cobbled street known as Priest Lane. Old stone houses with multi-paned windows line the left side, while a low stone wall with a metal handrail follows the curve of the road on the right.

The journey into the heart of Ripponden’s history begins at the summit of Priest Lane. There is something visceral about a cobbled street. In the modern world, we are used to the silent, smooth transition of asphalt. But here, every step is a tactile experience.

On this February afternoon, the setts are slick with West Yorkshire rain. The lane curves steeply downward, hemmed in by the sturdy, darkened stone of traditional weavers' cottages and boundary walls. These buildings weren't just homes; they were the backbone of the local textile industry. The large windows on the upper floors of these dwellings were designed to let in every possible scrap of northern light for the hand-loom weavers who once lived here.

Standing at the top of the lane, the view is dominated by the sharp descent toward the valley floor. It is a path that has been trodden by packhorses, clergymen, and mill workers for hundreds of years. The perspective creates a sense of falling forward into history.

The Old Bridge: A 14th-Century Sentinel

A black and white view of a white-washed historic building, the Old Bridge Inn, on the left. A wet cobbled path leads toward a medieval stone packhorse bridge in the background, with the tall spire and clock face of St Bartholomew’s Church rising behind the trees.

A black and white photograph of a historic stone arch bridge spanning a fast-flowing river. Bare tree branches frame the foreground, and the textured stone blocks of the bridge are reflected in the rushing water below.

A black and white eye-level shot of the wet, cobbled surface of the Old Bridge. The bridge is narrow with stone parapets and iron railings, leading the eye toward the church tower and the rolling hills of the Ryburn Valley in the distance.

At the foot of Priest Lane lies the jewel of the village: the Old Bridge. This isn't just a picturesque spot for a photograph; it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and one of the finest examples of a packhorse bridge in the North of England.

Dating back to the 14th century, the bridge served as a vital link on the ancient trade route over the Pennines. Long before the modern A672 or the M62 existed, this narrow stone arch was the only way for traders to move goods between the wool towns of Yorkshire and the markets of Lancashire.

Architectural Strength

The bridge is a masterclass in medieval engineering:

The Single Span: A powerful gritstone arch designed to withstand the volatile nature of the Ryburn.
The Cutwaters: Massive triangular stone projections that "cut" the force of the water during a flood, protecting the structural integrity of the bridge.
The Width: It is intentionally narrow, designed for a horse and its panniers, not for the carts or carriages that would come centuries later.

Standing on the bridge today, you can hear the River Ryburn below. In February, the river is rarely a gentle stream. Fed by the runoff from the high moors, it becomes a churning, coffee-coloured torrent. The sound of the water hitting the weir just downstream from the bridge provides a constant, rhythmic soundtrack to the village.

The Old Bridge Inn: Hospitality in Stone

A black and white side-on view of the Old Bridge Inn, a long, low-rise white-washed building with several prominent white chimneys and a dark slate roof. The inn sits beside a cobbled path and is surrounded by bare winter trees and stone walls.

Directly adjacent to the bridge sits the Old Bridge Inn. To call it a "pub" feels like an understatement; it is a landmark of hospitality that has stood its ground since the 1300s.

The white-washed exterior of the Inn provides a stark, beautiful contrast to the dark gritstone of the surrounding buildings and the bridge. In the black and white images from 2014, the Inn glows against the grey Pennine sky. Its low-slung roofline and thick stone walls suggest a place built for shelter—a sanctuary for the weary traveller who had just navigated the treacherous trans-Pennine moors.

The Inn is famously one of the oldest in Yorkshire. Inside, the ceilings are low, the beams are heavy, and the fireplaces are large. It represents the "bottom" of the valley's social heart, where for centuries, the news of the day was traded over a pint of ale. Looking at the Inn from the vantage point of the bridge, you realize that the relationship between the road, the river, and the tavern is the original blueprint of English village life.

The River Ryburn in Winter

A high-angle black and white shot looking down at the River Ryburn as it flows over a small weir and under the curved stone wall of the bridge. To the right, the corner of a stone building with a slate roof is visible, with dense trees on the left bank.

The River Ryburn is the reason Ripponden exists. The water provided the power for the early corn mills and, later, the massive textile mills that fuelled the Industrial Revolution.

On 15th February 2014, the river was in its winter element. The images capture the Ryburn in a state of high flow. The water crashes over the weir, creating a white-water mist that hangs in the cold air. The trees lining the banks are bare, their dark branches reaching out over the water like veins.

There is a specific kind of beauty in a Pennine river during February. It feels powerful and slightly dangerous. It reminds us that while we have built our stone bridges and white-washed inns, the natural force of the water remains the dominant architect of the landscape.

The Spiritual Backdrop: St Bartholomew’s

Peering over the rooftops and through the leafless trees is the spire of St Bartholomew’s Church. The church tower, with its distinctive clock face, acts as a vertical anchor for the village.

While the current church building is a Victorian reconstruction, the site has been a place of worship for nearly a millennium. The relationship between the church at the top and the bridge at the bottom creates a physical manifestation of the village's dual identity: the spiritual and the commercial.

Why Black and White?

Capturing Ripponden in monochrome on this specific day in 2014 was a conscious choice that yields several visual rewards:

Texture: You can almost feel the grit of the stone and the dampness of the moss.
Contrast: The white walls of the Old Bridge Inn pop against the dark valley, drawing the eye to the centre of the community.
Timelessness: Without modern car colours or bright plastic signage, these photos could easily have been taken in 1914 rather than 2014. It honours the "Old" in Old Bridge.

Final Thoughts: A Walk Through Time

Ripponden is a place where you don't just see history; you walk on it. From the top of Priest Lane, down across the Old Bridge, past the Old Bridge Inn, and along the banks of the River Ryburn, every yard tells a story of endurance, trade, and the rugged spirit of the North.

If you ever find yourself in this corner of West Yorkshire on a rainy February day, don't rush through. Stand on the bridge, listen to the Ryburn, and look up at the cobbles of Priest Lane. You are standing in a scene that has remained largely unchanged for seven hundred years.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Saturday, 13 September 2025

The Enduring Charm of Baitings Reservoir

On a sunny day in May 2014, with a Polaroid iS2132 in hand, I set out to capture the serene beauty of Baitings Reservoir. It's a place that feels both grand and grounded, a testament to human engineering set against the dramatic landscape of the West Yorkshire Pennines.

Located in the valley of the River Ryburn, this impressive body of water was completed in 1956 to supply water to Wakefield. It's the higher of two reservoirs here, following the construction of Ryburn Reservoir in 1933. The sheer scale of the project is breath taking. The curved dam head is a massive 470 meters long and over 50 meters high. It took eight years to build, at a cost of £1.4 million—an extraordinary sum for the time.

One of the most fascinating details about Baitings is its connection to the past. Before the reservoir was built, an old road that linked Yorkshire and Lancashire passed through the valley, crossing the Baitings Bridge. The name "Baitings" itself is rooted in Old Norse, a combination of "beit" (pasture) and "eng" (meadow), hinting at the area's history long before the water arrived. To make way for the reservoir, a concrete viaduct was built to replace the old bridge. However, the original structure isn't lost forever. During periods of extreme drought, when the water levels drop, the forgotten stones of Baitings Bridge are revealed once more, offering a glimpse into a history now submerged beneath the surface.

The reservoir itself is a remarkable sight, covering 24 hectares and holding over 3.19 million cubic meters of water when full. Looking out over the shimmering expanse, it's hard to imagine the complex network of infrastructure that supports it. A tunnel stretching 2,400 meters, known as the Manshead Tunnel, was opened in 1962 to connect Baitings with other reservoirs to the north, allowing for the transfer of water.

The photographs from that spring day capture the reservoir's multiple moods—from the powerful cascade of water over the spillway to the calm, reflective surface of the water framed by rolling green hills. They show a place that is more than just a water source; it's a piece of local history, a place of quiet contemplation, and a beautiful spot for a walk in the heart of the Pennines. It's a reminder of how human ingenuity and nature can coexist, creating something both functional and truly beautiful.

The pictures below were taken on the 17th May 2014, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Saturday, 24 September 2022

Baitings Reservoir at Low Water

On September 24th, 2022, a remarkable sight awaited visitors to Baitings Reservoir—a place where history, normally hidden beneath millions of gallons of water, was laid bare for all to see. These photographs, taken on that very day with a Nikon D3300, document an extraordinary moment when the reservoir's water levels dropped to a near-historic low, revealing long-submerged secrets of the valley.

A Monument to Engineering

Baitings Reservoir, completed in 1956, is an impressive feat of civil engineering. Built to supply fresh water to the city of Wakefield, it's the higher of two dams that harness the flow of the River Ryburn in this scenic part of Yorkshire. The lower dam, Ryburn Dam, was constructed earlier in 1933. The creation of Baitings was an immense undertaking, costing approximately £1.4 million and taking 8 years to complete.

The project transformed the landscape, intentionally flooding a small hamlet known as Baitings. Perhaps the most poignant part of this history is the submersion of a centuries-old packhorse bridge—a vital road link that once connected Lancashire and Yorkshire. This historic bridge, normally lost to view, becomes a stark and beautiful reminder of the past whenever the reservoir's water levels fall. The photographs show the old stone bridge, its arch still perfectly intact, exposed by the receding water. It stands as a testament to the village that was sacrificed for progress. The modern, concrete Back O'th Heights Bridge stands high above the exposed valley floor, a powerful visual cue of the reservoir's immense depth when it's at full capacity. At its highest, the dam holds over 113,000,000 cubic feet of water, or about 703,858,407 gallons.

The River Ryburn's Journey

Baitings Reservoir is a crucial part of the local water system. It's fed by runoff from the surrounding moorland and serves as the official start of the River Ryburn. The river flows six miles down the valley, passing the lower Ryburn Dam and eventually joining the River Calder at Sowerby Bridge. The photographs show the river's path through the exposed reservoir bed, a serpentine channel carved into the dried mud.

The exceptionally low water level in September 2022 revealed another fascinating piece of infrastructure: a sluice gate near the dam head. It's a structure that predates the reservoir itself, likely used to regulate the flow of water into the Ryburn Dam before Baitings was even built. This low water level also sparked a question: would an old footpath bridge, once located between the sluice gate and the dam, be revealed? While the water hadn't dropped quite enough on that day, it hinted at more hidden history waiting to be discovered.

The images offer a unique perspective, capturing not just the dam and bridges but also the powerful, arid landscape left behind. A photograph from the dam's spillway looks down into the channel below, showcasing the engineering that controls the water's release. Another shot provides a beautiful view of the lush, rolling green hills of the Ryburn Valley, a stunning contrast to the cracked, desolate reservoir bed. These pictures are a stark visual representation of the effects of low rainfall and a poignant reminder of the hidden history that lies beneath the surface of our landscapes.

A wide-angle landscape photograph captured under a bright blue sky filled with scattered white cumulus clouds. The image captures a large water reservoir experiencing severe drought conditions. In the midground, a dark, straight concrete dam spans the distance, connecting the rolling hills on either side. However, the foreground reveals that the water level has receded dramatically, exposing vast, barren banks of dry, cracked earth, scree, and dark, exposed rock formations that typically remain submerged. A narrow, reduced channel of dark water flows far below the reservoir’s normal capacity line, following the lowest contours of the exposed valley. Small, withered vegetation clings to the edges of the distant hillsides, and a few distant structures or pylons are visible against the horizon. The composition emphasizes the contrast between the vast scale of the empty, parched landscape and the small body of remaining water, illustrating a severe regional water shortage. Baitings Reservoir, Yorkshire

An aerial landscape photograph taken under a partly cloudy sky, looking across Baitings Reservoir in the West Yorkshire moors. The water level in the reservoir is extremely low, revealing extensive areas of dark, terraced mud and sediment on both banks. A long, multi-arched concrete bridge, spanning the reservoir, dominates the middle distance. Beyond the bridge, the surrounding hills are covered with dry, yellowing grass and patchy green scrub, leading up to a distant ridgeline dotted with a row of electrical pylons. In the distance to the right, a denser patch of dark green trees is visible. The water surface in the foreground has a gentle ripple.

A dry and cracked earth landscape of Baitings Reservoir in West Yorkshire, England, during a period of drought, with most of the water missing. In the mid-ground, a historic, small, arched stone packhorse bridge, usually submerged, is fully exposed, crossing a deep, empty channel. The far bank rises steeply with exposed, dried mud and receding shoreline layers, topped by grassy hills with stone walls and a prominent metal electricity pylon under a cloudy sky. Scattered green weeds dot the rocky foreground.

The packhorse bridge appearing from beneath the water has gone from a once in decade or so event to every couple of years.

A wide-angle landscape photograph of Baitings Reservoir in Yorkshire, England, taken during a significant drought. The reservoir water level is extremely low, revealing a vast expanse of dry, cracked, tiered, and gravelly shoreline. In the mid-ground, a small, exposed weir is visible with different colored water on either side. Far in the distance, the main reservoir dam wall stretches across the frame. On the far right shoreline, a small group of people can be seen, giving a sense of scale to the low water level. The hills are sparsely wooded, and the sky is bright blue with large, white, puffy cumulus clouds.

Whilst it's likely that levels have been low enough before for the original dam and sluice gate to appear, this was the first time I had seen them.

This black and white photograph captures the exposed, low-water bed of Baitings Reservoir, near Ripponden, during a significant drought. In the foreground are two rough-hewn stone pillars: one is upright, and the other tilts at a sharp angle. Small rocks are scattered across the mud and sand. Beyond the immediate foreground, a narrow band of water remains, with exposed sediment levels clearly visible on the banks. The background features rolling, textured Pennine hills with a linear belt of trees and fields, all under a dramatic, cloudy sky. A white border frames the photograph.

An extreme low water level photo at Baitings Reservoir near Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, showing the dramatic expose of a 17th-century stone packhorse bridge typically hidden. The view is taken from a dry, parched riverbed, looking up past the original stone arch towards the modern concrete pillars and viaduct overhead against a partly cloudy sky.

The original packhorse bridge, often submerged seen through the legs of it's modern replacement.

A landscape photograph showing the extensive dried, cracked mud and stone shoreline of Baitings Reservoir in West Yorkshire during a period of low water. The large concrete dam structure is visible in the distance across the receding water level. Patches of deep blue sky are interspersed with dramatic white cumulus clouds above the rolling, tree-lined hills. The image emphasizes the effects of drought.

A monochrome, sepia-toned photograph of Baitings Reservoir, in an extremely low water state. The image shows the exposed reservoir bed, with dried mudflats and rocky shores. A low, concrete weir and gate valve structure is visible, connecting a small stream of water to a larger, shallow, wind-rippled pool. The surrounding slopes show layered, dark earth. The entire scene emphasizes the extent of a drought.

A high-angle landscape photograph looking across the rolling, green, sheep-grazed hills of the Pennines towards Ryburn Dam. The scene features deep green forests surrounding the water, dry stone walls on the slopes, a winding path, and distant wind turbines under a blue sky with dramatic, scattered white clouds.

A striking wide-angle landscape photograph showing critical low water levels at Baitings Reservoir during a severe drought in Yorkshire, England. In the foreground, the extensive, parched, dark mud and sediment-cracked reservoir bed is exposed. The remaining reddish-brown water recedes, revealing the detailed structure of a concrete intake or spillway with metal fencing on the right. In the distance, the multiple-arched concrete Baitings Viaduct crosses the valley, with its full length visible above the dry ground. Beyond the reservoir and viaduct, a line of pylons with power lines stretches across the grassy and forested hillsides under a dramatic blue sky filled with large white clouds. This image illustrates environmental impacts and drought.

A landscape photograph of the Baitings Reservoir in the UK during a period of low water. The image shows exposed, dark, tiered mud and rock banks along the reservoir bed, with a small amount of dark water in the center, a distant dam, and the green hills of West Yorkshire under a cloudy sky.

A striking, high-angle photograph looking straight down the face of the massive concrete Baitings Reservoir dam. The steep dam wall fills the foreground, covered in textured weathering and faint grid lines. At its base, the turbulent stilling basin (or spillway floor) shows irregular patterns of reddish-brown and grey concrete, wet from the powerful water gushing from a set of tiered control structures on the left. On the right, a mirror-image concrete intake is visible. Beyond the basin, a small stone bridge crosses the outlet stream, leading to two narrow, light-grey paths that curve through the steep, vibrant green, grassy hillsides. The overall perspective creates a vertiginous, geometrically intense composition, leading the eye deep into the reservoir's outlet works.

This photograph displays the exceptionally low water levels at Baitings Reservoir, near Ripponden, West Yorkshire. The receding water exposes a deep, layered sandstone gorge and the original stream bed and small waterfall where Cragg Brook flows into the reservoir basin. A dark, still body of water is in the foreground, with the exposed rock face rising above. The tree-lined banks are visible on the hill above, and the concrete steps leading down to the water are also clearly visible. The light is bright and sunny, highlighting the textures of the exposed rock.

A view of Baitings Reservoir in West Yorkshire during a period of very low water, revealing a deep gully, a small waterfall, the exposed historical bridge footings, and stone stairs leading out of the valley, with a tree line and blue sky in the background.

A daytime photograph of a rocky path and small concrete staircase that leads to a cascading waterfall at Baitings Reservoir in the United Kingdom.

All the images remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Saturday, 20 August 2022

Unveiling History: A Dawn Walk at Baitings Dam

The sun began its slow ascent over the moorland, painting the sky in a blaze of gold and orange. The air, still cool from the night, held the promise of another warm day. But this wasn't just any sunrise; this was a moment of revelation at Baitings Dam, a reservoir that had, for a brief time, relinquished its hold on a forgotten piece of history.

Constructed to quench the thirst of Wakefield, Baitings Dam stands as a testament to human ingenuity. Completed in 1956 after eight years of arduous work and a cost of £1.4 million, it's the higher of two dams that harness the flow of the River Ryburn. Its lower sibling, Ryburn Dam, built in 1933, shares the task of supplying water to the city.

But with its completion came a bittersweet sacrifice: a small hamlet named Baitings was submerged beneath its rising waters. And with it, an ancient packhorse bridge, a vital link between the historic counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, was lost to sight. Or so it seemed.

As I arrived on the morning of August 19th, 2022, the low water level—a result of the summer's heat—had performed a spectacular act of unveiling. The exposed, cracked earth of the reservoir bed stretched out before me, a stark contrast to the shimmering water that remained. And there, revealed in all its stoic glory, stood the old packhorse bridge.

For decades, this bridge has been a ghostly landmark, its existence a matter of local lore. While sensationalized reports claimed its first appearance in over 50 years, locals know better. This was not a unique event, but rather a more frequent occurrence in recent years, a consequence of the recurring summer heatwaves that are becoming the new norm in the UK. I’ve seen it at least three times in the last few years alone.

Standing by its side is a more modern successor: the concrete structure of Back O'th Heights Bridge. This bridge, with its sturdy pillars reaching down to the current waterline, offers a powerful visual lesson. The tell tale marks just beneath the road level show just how high the water can rise, a humbling reminder of the dam’s true capacity. When full, Baitings Dam holds an astounding 113 million cubic feet of water, or over 700 million gallons.

The River Ryburn, born from the run-off of the surrounding moorland, begins its journey here, flowing down the valley to eventually meet the River Calder at Sowerby Bridge, about six miles away. The dam is an integral part of this local landscape, and seeing it in this state of low ebb offered a unique perspective on its scale and the history it holds.

As the sun fully crested the horizon, its light caught the water's surface, creating a dazzling golden path that led directly to the rising sun. The pylon lines, a modern addition to the landscape, stretched across the sky, their silhouettes a stark line against the brilliant morning light. It was a beautiful, almost surreal scene.

For a photographer, Baitings Dam in this state is a dream. Every detail, from the cracked earth to the exposed foundations of the modern bridge and the newly visible old packhorse bridge, tells a story. And on this particular morning, using my Nikon d3300, I had the privilege of capturing a few chapters of that story as it unfolded under the golden light of a new day.

Clicking any of the images below should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

The tide marks underneath Back O'th Heights Bridge show the dams level when full.

The former bridge is submerged for most of the year, it's appearances becoming
more frequent in recent years.

The former bridge can be seen beyond it's replacement, this gives an idea of how low
the water level has dropped due to the recent dry weather.

The waterless back of the dam beyond the former bridge, the water level normally
hiding the river that feeds it.

I took this further up the A58 towards Rochdale, looking across the fields in the direction
of the bridges and Baitings Dam.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

All the images remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Friday, 19 August 2022

A Sunrise Walk at Baitings Dam

There's a certain magic to an early morning walk, especially when you're there to witness a landscape change before your eyes. Baitings Dam has been a regular fixture in the local news lately, with the unusually low water levels exposing secrets that are usually hidden beneath the surface. While some reports claim the old packhorse bridge has been seen for the first time in 50 years, that’s not quite right. In a world of changing weather patterns, what was once a rare sight is now happening every couple of years.

Just a few days ago, on August 19, 2022, I got up before the sun to capture a moment that beautifully illustrates this change. With my Nikon D3300 in hand, I headed to the dam, a place I often walk my dogs. As the sun began to rise, it cast a golden light over the landscape, illuminating a scene that tells a story of both nature and human history.

In the foreground, the original packhorse bridge stands revealed. This historic crossing once spanned the River Ryburn, long before the construction of Baitings Dam was completed in 1956. It's a humbling sight, a testament to a time when travel and trade relied on these simple, sturdy stone structures.

Just behind it, the more modern Back O'th Heights bridge seems to float above the water, a new path built for a new era. When the dam is full, the water level comes within just a couple of feet of this bridge, making the presence of the old one below even more remarkable.

As the sun climbed higher, it bathed the entire scene in a stunning glow. Its light caught the dam's headwall in the distance, a massive structure holding back the water that has both created this modern reservoir and submerged the landscape of the past.

This sunrise at Baitings Dam was a powerful reminder that history is not just found in museums or books; it's often right beneath our feet, waiting for the right moment to be revealed.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

The picture remains the copyright of Colin Green.

Pages